Below the Bones (Widow's Island #5) - Kendra Elliot Page 0,12
attracted a small less affluent group that came to live simply and be as close to nature as possible. Wendy appeared to be the latter.
Henry did a quick exam as he questioned her about her symptoms and asked a few polite small talk questions.
“I like the island,” she told him. “I’ve been meaning to come for years.” She lowered her voice. “But I hear you’ve got a crime problem.” Her green eyes grew wide.
“Crime?”
“Yeah. Heard there’s been some murders.”
Henry frowned as he typed notes in her chart. “I don’t think so. I would know about that.”
“I guess they’re old, though.”
“The victims were old?”
“No, the murders.”
He paused and looked her full in the face. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
Disappointment flashed in her gaze. “I heard there were some bodies buried in the forest. Someone said you were there as the coroner.”
“Oh.” The gossip has reached the tourists. “That’s not quite accurate. And definitely not something to be worried about during your stay on the island.”
“What did they find?”
“It’s a police matter right now. I don’t want to give any incorrect information. I really don’t know much anyway.”
“Do they have any leads? Do they know how many victims there are?”
He held her gaze. “I don’t know much,” he said slowly, emphasizing each word.
“Don’t you think the public should know what’s going on?” Wendy asked. “It’s important to feel safe. It’d be nice to know if they have a suspect.”
He ignored her question. “I’m going to do a quick strep test,” Henry told her. “I’ll also send it to the lab for a culture. It’s more accurate.”
He swabbed the back of her perfectly healthy-looking throat. “Sit tight, and I’ll have the results for you soon.” He picked up his computer and left, deciding he would have Julie deliver the results of what he suspected would be a negative test. In the hall he eyed her chart again. Wendy Ruell.
How do I know that name?
Luke Ruell. The kayak-rental-shop owner who had shown up as they’d investigated the grave in the state park. The one Tessa had said had been weird with the ice cream. The man flashed in Henry’s memory. Skinny. Rough around the edges. “Wendy has to be a sister or something,” Henry muttered. “He must have told her, and now she’s curious.”
But how did she know there was more than one victim?
Henry froze, certain Luke had left before the discussion about more graves and that the news that more had been found had been kept silent.
Someone could have talked.
Mike had emphasized that he wanted the body count kept quiet for now. No doubt the news of the first grave had spread, but Henry didn’t think the findings of multiple graves had. He needed to call Tessa to ask if other details had been released.
He strode down the hall to the front-desk area and found Bruce leaning over the counter, ogling his girlfriend. Both straightened and gave Henry sheepish looks.
“Bruce, you’re just who I need to see. Can I talk to you in back? Julie, can you process Wendy’s strep test while we talk?”
“Yep.” Bruce winked at Julie and followed Henry to an exam room. “What’s up?”
“Do you know if the news of the second and third graves has been made public?”
“It hasn’t. Mike was clear about keeping everything quiet for now, and Tessa agreed. Made us all swear to silence.”
“Does Julie know?”
Bruce pinkened. “Yeah. She doesn’t count. I’m sure Tessa told her guy.”
“So it’s possible word got around.”
“I seriously doubt it. We know who we can trust.” Bruce scowled. “What happened?”
“Remember Luke Ruell?”
“Yeah. Ice cream man.”
“His sister—or some sort of relative named Wendy Ruell—just asked me about ‘some bodies’ buried in the state park. She also pressed to know if you had a suspect or not.” Henry thought for a moment. “She came in with a sore throat, wanting a strep test, but I suspect she was fishing for information.”
Bruce pressed his lips together. “I’ve never cared for Luke. He just slinks around the island. Always see him in weird places. Tessa might believe he’s harmless, but he was there yesterday morning.”
“Could be a coincidence.”
“I know. But he rubs me the wrong way, you know?”
“Do you think he stayed and watched instead of leaving yesterday morning like he was told to do?”
“Or he could have been watching today,” said Bruce. “I stayed in the area for several hours yesterday after you and Tessa left. No one wandered in. But I swear I saw color in the woods at one point.